This is Jess. Kylee and I met her somewhere before the halfway mark.
It was a hot day, and I was trying not to allow myself to ruminate on how hot it was. I remember when the first clouds covered us, I was overcome with gratitude. I shouted out loud, “Thank you, God, for the clouds! Woohoo!”
And the next thing I knew, someone else was celebrating the clouds with me!
It was Jess.
She came beside Kylee and me and said she needed that energy as she was feeling done already. She had gotten sick a little while back and was trying to push through.
Jess joined Kylee and me.
The three of us ran beside each other, going the pace the one struggling the most in the moment needed to go.
It was beautiful.
When we met Jess, Jess was the one who needed the encouragement.
By the end, I was the one who was in my head after having a dizzy episode.
Jess and Kylee were the hype girls, and I was in full prayer mode to get to the finish line.
Running beside Kylee and Jess was a reminder to me about some of the principles God calls us to live out in life; to carry one another’s burdens, encourage one another and to love our neighbor as ourselves.
Kylee and I knew nothing about Jess except that she was struggling in her mind to keep going. And by the end, Jess was in her zone and could have run ahead, but instead, she chose to be sure I got to the finish line.
And this, my friends, is life in God’s eyes.
It’s not about getting ahead but about carrying each others burdens with one another and encouraging one another. It’s about treating one another the way we want to be treated and being willing to slow down from where we are heading to help those who need it. And by doing so, we may find in our time of need, when we show up for others, they also show up for us, like Jess and Kylee did for me.
And the circle of love flows around and around.
I share this today to invite you to join me in…
pause. breathe. pray.
May we not be so focused on where we are heading today, this week, or in life, that we forget to hear the voices of others who have needs. May we be willing to slow down our pace and come beside them to help them. Because in God’s eyes where we are heading is less important than how we live on our way there. And this experience with Kylee and Jess will forever remind me of this truth.
With love and hope,
Shawn
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. - Galatians 6:2